1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus with an voice output function and, more particularly, to a user interface using voice output.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a user interface using voice output (voice UI), a message or guidance information is output by voice to notify a user of the current settings of a device or to prompt a user for the next action. However, if the voice output in such an voice UI requires long time, a user will be required to listen to the voice output for an increased period of time, and this may impair usability.
As a technique for limiting voice message output, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-114480 (to be referred to as Patent Document 1 hereinafter) discloses a configuration which limits utterance of voice messages such as warnings depending on the frequency of occurrence of those error conditions. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-108182 (to be referred to as Patent Document 2 hereinafter) discloses a configuration in an apparatus such as a facsimile which outputs, by voice, the setting values from a plurality of setting parameters, only those values which have become different from their corresponding predetermined reference values.
Both Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 are methods for shortening the time during which voice output is performed. However, in Patent Document 1, only the enabling and disabling of warning message output is controlled. Even if this control is applied to the voice guidance of a user interface, whether to provide a voice guidance is controlled only with respect to a certain setting item or setting value. Also, in Patent Document 2, only setting values which have changed are read aloud, and voice guidance on a setting item or setting value to be set are not handled.
In other words, as for a voice guidance for explaining a certain setting item or setting value, neither Patent Document 1 nor Patent Document 2 demonstrates a mechanism which achieves a reduction in the output time for a voice guidance while simultaneously enhancing voice guidance functions to a satisfactory level.